Shiny New Toy Syndrome
by hannahbee27
Summary: After a year abroad, Bella is shocked to find that the boys at Dartmouth haven't forgotten her at all...if anything, they are flocking to her. As she readjusts to life in the States, the attention is the last thing she needs, but...will her new status be enough to attract the attention of Edward, her long-time crush from afar? AU, canon pairings.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello everyone! This is a collaborative fic between myself and babypeach16 (she is awesome and you should read her stuff). Each chapter will be from an alternating POV: Bella written by babypeach16 and Edward written by me. We hope you enjoy what we have so far! We have a publishing schedule set up, so expect a new installment every week on Fridays. xoxo_

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Chapter 1

_BPOV_

The human race will never fail to astonish me. People are amazing, and heartbreaking, and brave, and cruel. People have the capacity for incredible love, strength and determination. They perform feats that once seemed impossible, dream up creations were previously unthinkable.

Still, it is not any one of these human virtues that currently astounds me; it is their shallowness.

"Seriously?" I gaped at Alice as _yet another _random sporty-looking guys gave me a once-over and an awkward compliment relating to my hair.

It was the middle of the dining hall, and I just wanted to eat my lunch. In peace.

Don't get me wrong; I can take a compliment! Mostly...I mean, I'm not so ungracious as to grumble about them. But, that's in a normal situation. In a normal situation, I wasn't the recipient of quite so many compliments.

I was actually quite flattered by most of the comments and attention I'd received since my return three days ago, but others were really starting to piss me off.

This was my first week back at Dartmouth after a full year away, and all my vague worries that I might have been forgotten or rejected turned out to be totally unnecessary. I'd been anxious that - though well-liked - my introverted little self would be easily forgotten on a campus filled with interesting faces and stories. A year was a huge amount of time in college student years, and I was on a totally different continent.

To my great surprise, though, my time in Italy had made me an object of interest to people I had met before my trip, and many I hadn't.

Alice laughed indulgently, and swatted my arm. My tray wobbled, and I frowned at her in dismay. Did I really need a dropped food tray so early in the semester? No. I did not.

"C'mon, Bella, give them a break - they're only trying to be nice," she assured me.

"_Nice_?" I scoffed. "Please, Alice, that guy was in my Bio in the Tropics project group last year, and he wouldn't even look at me! For a group project...with three people! And now he's all, 'hey...good to have you back...Italy's done great things for you'?"

Alice tried to interject, but I was on a tear. It had been three days in the making.

"I mean, really, Alice - I appreciate that people think I look good, but these boys are just SO. DUMB." I plunked my tray down on a table to punctuate my point, rattling my mug of tea and sloshing a little over the side.

"Did I gain or lose five pounds either way?"

"No..."

"Have I changed my clothes or make-up?"

"Not really," Alice sighed.

"Precisely." I stabbed a beet in my salad. "All I did, was change my hair color. Not even a hair cut! Just the color."

Alice propped a hand under her chin, looking bored.

"And it wasn't even on _purpose_!"

Alice rolled her eyes. She'd already heard the story of how I had walked into a Parisian salon on the way home from Italy, wanting to try a couple of little highlights to spice things up, and ended up with a full head of auburn-dyed hair. Language barriers, man.

"So now," I speared a piece of steak and chewed it viciously "these stupid guys who never acknowledged my existence before are all, 'Hey, Bella, right?' instead of 'Bella, who?'!"

"I don't see what you're griping about! Most girls would be so happy for half the looks you've been getting," Alice said sternly.

"It's the principle of the thing! Having red hair does not alter who I am as a person, and-"

"Are you done yet?"

I huffed in annoyance. "Yes. Rant over. For now."

"Thank the Lord, Ms. Humble-Brag!"

I opened my mouth to retort when a pair of cute soccer boys approached our table.

"Bella, Alice - will you be joining us for the Tour de Franzia this weekend?"

"Hey, Tyler," Alice responded, pressing her little foot down on mine with surprising force. "Yeah, we'll put in an appearance."

"Excellent. Hardy House basement at 10. Yo, Edward," he called, turning away from us at the sight of one of his teammates. "You coming, bro?"

I had been following the whole exchange with mounting irritation, but I was distracted at the sight of Tyler's teammate. Edward Cullen.

Even after a year away, he was just as stunning. That messy bronze hair - not too far from my own shade now - that lean, muscled body...those beautiful green eyes...

I quickly snapped my jaw shut to prevent any accidental drooling. A year in Italy had taught me how to give the impression of elegance, which was very different from actually being elegant. Alice said I was like a klutzy Grace Kelly.

Edward looked over at us from the tray he'd been clearing. Ever so briefly, his eyes passed over me. I kind of hated myself for the little shiver that coursed through my body.

"Sure," he said simply, dropping his fork and knife in the silverware bin, and walking out.

Alice stared at me with a smug little I-know-what-you're-thinking face.

Oh, what the heck. If this stupid hair could turn the average Dartmouth boy to shallow, superficial mush, let's see what magic it could work on Edward Cullen...


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello everyone! Here is chapter 2, from Edward's POV. Please R&R, thanks! _

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Chapter 2

_EPOV_

Another year, another semester.

Moving back on campus was like coming home. The summer had been way too long, even with the distraction of an internship. Dartmouth was where my real life was, now (much to the annoyance of my helicopter parents). This was going to be a damn good year.

I floundered out of bed, realizing how late I had overslept. Not a great way to start my first day of classes. I raced through my shower and managed to scarf down a protein bar while pulling on my jeans. _Fucking alarm clock piece of shit_, I mumbled as I cut across the quad to my first class.

By lunch, I was very nearly ready for a cold beer.

Unfortunately, Dartmouth dining halls do not cater to the true needs of the student body. Tyler was supposed to meet me for lunch but it looked like he was going to be late, as usual. Ah yes, there he was, chatting up girls. As usual. I recognized Alice right away, she always hung around during soccer practice and it was no secret she had a thing for our goalie, Jasper. I didn't get a good look at the girl sitting next to Alice, but she had a cute face and long dark hair.

Tyler glanced at me and shouted about some party this weekend, which I was always down for.

"Sure." I replied on my way out of the dining hall.

Tyler and I had biochemistry together so I tried to hurry him out of the building so we wouldn't be late. "So….who was the brunette with Alice?" I prodded.

"Oh didn't you hear? Bella's back from Italy!"

"Wait, _that _was Bella Swan?" I tried to hide the excitement in my voice. We had been in the same orientation group as freshmen, but being the chicken I was, I didn't have the courage to talk to her. We saw each other at parties since we shared a bunch of mutual friends, but I was usually too drunk to talk to her properly so naturally, _chicken_.

I received a swift punch to the arm from Tyler.

"Yeah, it seems like everyone has their eye on her this semester." That asshole knew exactly what to say to make me angry.

"Shut up, let's get to class." Like I was going to be able to focus on lecture now.

I tried my damnedest to focus on the lecture slides, but to no avail. I couldn't help but think about all the slimy jerks clamoring for Bella's attention. It made my skin crawl. As the professor ended class I looked down at my almost blank sheet of notebook paper. What a great start to the semester. I was definitely going to need to copy Tyler's notes.

Girls seem to always get in the way of my grades.


End file.
